{"id":33960,"date":"2021-06-14T15:54:45","date_gmt":"2021-06-14T15:54:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubuntuhandbook.org\/?p=33960"},"modified":"2023-07-12T07:48:55","modified_gmt":"2023-07-12T07:48:55","slug":"enable-global-menu-ubuntu-20-04-21-04","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubuntuhandbook.org\/index.php\/2021\/06\/enable-global-menu-ubuntu-20-04-21-04\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Enable ‘Global Menu’ (App Menus in Top-bar) in Ubuntu 20.04, 21.04"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Though it’s not perfect, Global menu is still possible in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 21.04 with the default Gnome Desktop.<\/p>\n

It used to have a Gnome Global Menu extension to enable focused app menus (e.g., File, Edit, View, Help, etc.) in the top panel. It is however discontinued because GTK+ development is blocking the uniform support for the global menu to the Gtk+ applications.<\/p>\n

Users can still use Fildem global menu<\/i> to get the function in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10, and Ubuntu 21.04, though it does not work with most Gnome Apps.<\/p>\n

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NOTE: The Extension is NO longer updated! It won’t work in current Ubuntu 22.04 and higher.<\/b><\/p>\n

1.) Install Fildem global menu extension.<\/h4>\n

Firstly, open terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T<\/i> on keyboard. When terminal opens, run commands to install the packages for installing and toggling Gnome Extension:<\/p>\n

sudo apt install chrome-gnome-shell gnome-shell-extension-pres<\/pre>\n
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Next, go to extension web page and turn on the slider icon to install it.<\/p>\n
\n
Download Fildem global menu<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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If you don’t see the toggle icon, click the top ‘Click here to install browser extension’<\/i> link to install browser extension and refresh the web page.<\/p>\n
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2.) Install and Configure the External App<\/h4>\n
To make the function work, you have to install the external app.<\/p>\n
a.)<\/b> Download and double-click to install the “fildem_x.x.x_all.deb<\/i>” package from the link below:<\/p>\n
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Download Fildem (.deb)<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Or install the package via sudo apt install ~\/Downloads\/fildem_*_all.deb<\/code> command.<\/p>\n
b.)<\/b> Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to edit the .gtkrc-2.0<\/code> file.<\/p>\n
gedit ~\/.gtkrc-2.0<\/pre>\n
When the file opens, add gtk-modules=\"appmenu-gtk-module\"<\/code> to the end.<\/p>\n
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c.)<\/b> Next edit the .config\/gtk-3.0\/settings.ini<\/code> file via command:<\/p>\n
gedit ~\/.config\/gtk-3.0\/settings.ini<\/pre>\n
And also add gtk-modules=\"appmenu-gtk-module\"<\/code> line to the end. Also, add [Settings]<\/b> line before it if not exist.<\/p>\n
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3.) Start Global Menu:<\/h4>\n
Finally in a terminal window, run command fildem &<\/b>.<\/p>\n
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Search for and open Extensions<\/b> utility. When it opens, click on the gear button to configure the Gnome Extension:<\/p>\n